Mother of all dust storms hits Arizona

As the haboob hit Phoenix, winds gusted to 53 mph at Sky Harbour International Airport, and the airport was forced to shut down for 45 minutes due to visibilities that fell as low as 1/8 mile.

According to media reports, the storm downed trees, tossed yard furniture, and snuffed out visibility across an area of some 50 miles at its peak on Tuesday evening, although there were no reports of any fatalities

Image: Customers at a local Starbucks cafe continue as if nothing is out of the ordinary

Mother of all dust storms hits Arizona

The National Weather Service office in Phoenix called the dust storm "very large and historic," in a statement posted on its website, describing the blow as an "impressive event."

The towering dust cloud that hit the area had originated in an afternoon storm in the Tucson area before moving north across the desert, National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Iniguez told the media.

Image: Despite it being early evening in Phoenix, the thick blanket of dust darkens the landscape and forces drivers to be extra cautious

Mother of all dust storms hits Arizona

The Southwest's annual summer monsoon season is about to begin, and meteorologists are predicting significant rainfall over Arizona and western New Mexico, which have struggled with catastrophic wildfires

Image: A wheelchair is left to gather dust in the aftermath of the 'historic' storm